When they got to the basement, they saw Cao Renjie huddled in the corner, unconscious, and trembling when he heard any movement.
A stench hit my nose, and the ground was covered in filth, all of which were his feces and urine.
I connected the water pipe and turned on the faucet. A jet of water sprayed directly in front of Cao Renjie's door.
The latter screamed "Ah" and was awakened by the cold water.
"Spare me, spare me..." Cao Renjie rolled and crawled in front of me, lying on the ground and begging repeatedly.
I pulled up a chair and sat down, stared at him for a moment, and asked, "Have those people who died by your hands ever begged for mercy from you?"
"No...no." Cao Renjie shook his head and said, "I...I never have to do it myself. They...they didn't have the chance to...beg for mercy from me..."
I burst into laughter.
"If...if they beg me for mercy, I...I will definitely let them go, I swear...I will definitely let them go!" Cao Renjie explained repeatedly.
"Clean up the floor." I said coldly.
"Yes, yes!" Cao Renjie quickly crawled over and wiped the feces and urine on the ground with his sleeves, but he couldn't wipe it clean.
I stood up to get something from the shelf, but when I stood up, Cao Renjie was shocked.
"You...don't be angry, I...I can do it..." Cao Renjie screamed tremblingly, and he lay down directly to lick the dirt on the ground with his tongue.
This scene stunned me.
Some people say that the moment of life and death can bring out the truest side of a person, whether he is a human or a demon, a ghost or a monster, and his true colors are revealed.
Maybe that's true.
"Use this." I frowned and kicked the water pipe on the ground.
"Yes, yes!" Cao Renjie crawled over on his hands and knees, tremblingly picked up the water pipe and washed the ground.
I watched for a while, left him two bags and a set of clothes, and then turned around and returned to the first floor.
In the afternoon, Shen Qingyao made an appointment to meet Shao Zilong and me, again at the same place.
"Please tell me carefully about the matter at Laosong Reservoir."
As soon as they met, the first thing Shen Qingyao did was to ask about the details of last night.
I had to tell them from beginning to end again.
Shen Qingyao was silent for a long time and said, "I checked and found that the people who were involved with Laosong Reservoir back then are basically dead."
"It has something to do with the Cao family." I interrupted abruptly.
"Cao family?" Shen Qingyao glanced at me and asked doubtfully, "How do you know? I haven't found out anything about the Cao family and the reservoir."
"Someone told me," I said.
"Who?" Shen Qingyao and Shao Zilong asked in unison, both of them were quite surprised.
I coughed and asked Shen Qingyao, "Xiaoyao, how are you feeling today?"
"Not very good." Shen Qingyao frowned, "What's the matter?"
"Then I'll talk about it next time." I backed down.
Shen Qingyao frowned, "What good things did you two do again?"
"It's unfair. This has nothing to do with me!" Shao Zilong quickly denied it and said with a straight face, "Old Lin, what good thing did you do?"
"Actually, it's not a big deal." I laughed dryly, "Didn't I mention it to you that day that I discovered something, but it was not convenient to tell you two at the time."
"That's what happened." Shao Zilong nodded.
I glanced at Shen Qingyao and said, "Why don't you sit down first."
"Tell me." Shen Qingyao said.
"Actually, that night..." I refilled Shen Qingyao's cup of tea, "How about you take a sip first?"
Shen Qingyao was indifferent and just looked at me.
"Well, it's just... I stole Cao Renjie out that night." I said as lightly as possible.
"What did you say? Who did you steal?" Shao Zilong asked in surprise.
Shen Qingyao also had the same look
"Cao Renjie." I told them the ins and outs of that night.
"Did you tie up Da Cao?" Shao Zilong looked shocked, "That's not right. Isn't that guy still at home, safe and sound?"
"I saw him at noon." Shen Qingyao also didn't understand.
"That's what's strange." I nodded, "Obviously I kidnapped this Cao Renjie, and then another Cao Renjie appeared. The two are exactly the same, it's hard to tell them apart."
"I'll go!" Shao Zilong shouted, "Doesn't this mean that sleeping with Xiaoyao's sister may be a lie. No wonder you were..."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a bang.
The teacup placed in front of Shen Qingyao was flattened by her slap.
The tea was mixed with fragments and scattered in all directions!
Shao Zilong immediately shut up and winked at me, meaning, you are finished this time.
I saw Shen Qingyao's eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling, her lips pursed tightly, her face pale, and I felt a little guilty.
"It's my fault this time. If you want to be angry, feel free to do it." I said.
Shen Qingyao remained silent. After a while, she opened her eyes and said, "You are right."
"Oh, it's bleeding!" Shao Zilong exclaimed.
I saw Shen Qingyao's hand slapping on the tea cup, with bright red blood oozing out.
With her ability, even if she smashed the cup to pieces, she would never cut her hand, so she did this on purpose, just to use pain to control her emotions.
We both hurried over to treat her wounds.
"I'm fine." Shen Qingyao retracted her hand and asked me, "Which one do you think is true?"
"I can't tell." I shook my head.
To be honest, it's really hard to tell.
"Where is he?" Shen Qingyao asked.
"I'll take you there." I said.
Shen Qingyao stood up and walked out.
"Oh, it's really difficult for Xiaoyao." Shao Zilong came over and sighed.
I hummed.
After all, Shen Bilin is her biological sister and a close relative, but it is very rare for Shen Qingyao to be able to control her emotions to such an extent.
"Why are you two still dawdling?"
Shen Qingyao had already gotten into the car, took out gauze and wrapped it around her palms several times.
"I'm coming."
When we got into the car, Shen Qingyao stepped on the accelerator and the car sped out.
In the past, when she drove, she was always as meticulous and steady as an old dog, but this time she drove so fast that we were frightened and afraid to say anything.
Afraid of distracting her, the car went straight into the ditch.
After finally reaching a place, the three of them got out of the car and entered a remote small hotel.
I opened a room here, led the two of them in, and pointed to a sack near the corner, "It's right there."
"Good guy." Shao Zilong glanced at me.
Shen Qingyao walked over quickly.
"I'll come, I'll come."
Shao Zilong and I untied the sack, and immediately a man rolled out.
"Spare your life, spare your life!"
The man inside screamed and lay on the ground shivering.
